Malkangiri, : The renovation of the Maa Shyama Kali Puja Mandap located at Kalichhak in Balimela town of Malkangiri district has been completed. On Tuesday, under the supervision of Balimela Municipal Chairman Pradeep Kumar Nayak, and with the leadership of Temple Committee President Bijay Kumar Das, Purna Chandra Muduli, Deepak Kumar Sahu, Sharata Kumar Padhi, Pratap Swain, Specmalakanta Nayak, Purushottam Muduli, Surendra Kumar Patra, Prashanta Kumar Raul, Akshaya Maharana, and other active members, the reinstallation and ritual worship at the mandap began as per tradition.
On this occasion, in the morning, renowned local priest Rankanidhu Rath Sharma along with Subhashish Kar performed elaborate religious rituals on the banks of the Chitapari River, which flows near Balimela town. Afterwards, over a hundred women from the town collected holy water from the river and joined in a grand procession carrying sacred pots (kalash) through the town. After circumambulating the town, they reached the Kali mandap and placed the pots there with devotion.
Starting around 3 PM, the reinstallation rituals of Maa Shyama Kali began at the mandap following all traditional customs and procedures.
According to the temple management committee, on Wednesday, priests will conduct ghee yajna (fire sacrifice), anna yajna (food offering), and naam yajna (chanting rituals) as part of the Reinstallation Day Ceremony.
The committee has also made arrangements for devotees to partake in anna prasada (sacred food offerings), as confirmed by the President.